Kilmarnock

We asked for your views on Kilmarnock’s 3-2 defeat against Dundee.

Here's what some of you said:

Robert: Kyle Vassell needs to play to whistle rather than lie on ground before the final Dundee goal. As for the mental strength of the defence, it is appalling. Lots of effort but can't expect attack to keep bailing us out.

Anon: Derek McInnes to blame for that defeat. What was he doing taking Danny Armstrong off and putting on a defender to replace him with 40 mins to go? David Watson and Bruce Anderson off, Rory McKenzie and Innes Cameron on? He's losing it. We will miss Stuart Findlay big style - we're now in big trouble.

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• Kilmarnock have lost eight points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, only Hibernian (11) have lost more.

• They have conceded 7 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Hibernian (9) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• Derek McInnes' have conceded 11 first-half goals in 11 games, no team has conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• Matthew Kennedy has created 27 chances this season, the joint-highest total in the Premiership alongside Aberdeen's Jamie McGrath.

• Kilmarnock have attempted four shots on target in this match, higher than their season average of 2.9 in the Premiership.

• Bruce Anderson has now scored six goals in nine appearances in the Premiership against Dundee.

• Kilmarnock have scored in their last eight Premiership games, and their last five Premiership away games.

Watch the best of the action from Dens Park as Dundee stage an incredible comeback against Kilmarnock to win a five-goal thriller.

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Dundee fought back from two goals down to stun Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership and exact revenge with a complete reversal of their 3-2 defeat by the same opponent a month ago.

What did you make of Kilmarnock's performance? How big a blow could Stuart Findlay's injury be?

Share your thoughts.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "I thought we started really strongly and we were really pleased with what the lads were giving us. We take advantage of a mistake and Bruce is sharp to get his goal.

"We score a really good second goal with both wide players combining. But we were always a wee bit concerned with it being the third game in a week away from home and keeping the energy in the team second half.

"We have to react to Stuart Findlay going off. He's been such an influential defender for us. You have to be able to deal with balls in your box, but the first goal we lose straight after getting the second goal.

"Instead of coming in 2-0 at half-time with pressure on Dundee to do something different, we give them a lifeline.

"[For the second goal] We don't react well and we've got too many doing nothing. You can see it clear as day and it's unprofessional we lose that type of goal. Dundee are big enough and good enough to punish you for that.

"I don't think any team would have shaken hands at 2-2. We have some really good passages of play and individually we had some top performances today.

"But we end up coming away with nothing because we don't sniff it at the end there. There's 30 seconds to go we should show inside when the ball is played forward and we don't match Mulligan's run.

"Credit Dundee they get bodies in the box at the death and Larkeche's desire to get on the end of it and score was more than our desire to stop it."

McInnes confirms Stuart Findlay's injury is "not looking good at all" and they are facing a long spell without the centre-back.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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This is only Kilmarnock's second defeat in their last eight league games, but this will sting badly.

Their big error was Joe Wright misjudging Oluwaseun Adewumi's cross just a minute after Matty Kennedy put them 2-0 in front which immediately gave Dundee hope before the break.

Joe Wright had replaced Stuart Findlay, who was taken off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly, at centre-back on 33 minutes with the game at 1-0.

Despite winning at Tynecastle without Findlay on Wednesday, it was clear the enforced change disrupted Kilmarnock.

Plus, the withdrawal of Danny Armstrong seven minutes into the second half meant they did not have his quality in attack when the game opened up late on.

However, McInnes would still expect better of his team in defence regardless of the personnel on the pitch.

Having had the joy of a comeback win to ignite their season a month ago, they must now recover from the disappointment of throwing a game away which they had in their grasp.

Bruce Anderson takes his place in the XI up front. Joe Wright meanwhile drops to the bench because Stuart Findlay is back fit to to take his place in the backline.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes, 53, has admirers with the Rangers hierarchy amid the Ibrox club's recent struggles. (Football Insider), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

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• Dundee have won just one of their last 18 Scottish Premiership games against Kilmarnock (D11 L6) and are winless in 11 (D7 L4) since a 1-0 triumph in May 2017 under Neil McCann, with Marcus Haber netting the winner that day.

• Kilmarnock are unbeaten in 11 Scottish Premiership away games against Dundee, although eight of those have been drawn (W3).

• Kilmarnock could win successive away matches over the Dee in the top-flight for the first time since December 2003 under Jim Jefferies.

• Dundee have lost their last three home games in the Scottish Premiership, while they have lost seven times at Dens Park so far in 2024, last losing more times at home in the top-flight in a calendar year in 2018 (12).

• Kilmarnock have won three of their last eight Scottish Premiership games played on a Sunday (D1 L4), as many victories as across their previous 18 games on that specific day (D3 L12).

• Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes has never lost to Dundee as a manager in Scotland's top-flight, winning 14 and drawing eight of 22 previous such clashes.

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Trevor Carson and Scott Fraser are trying to get back fit for Dundee while Joe Shaughnessy is working his way back from a long-term knee injury.

Kilmarnock midfielder Liam Donnelly is available after suspension, but Stuart Findlay (groin), Liam Polworth (calf) and long-term absentee Kyle Magennis (hamstring) are set to remain out.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has urged his side to "carry a bit more bullishness" in Sunday's game against Dundee.

The Ayrshire club, after a difficult start, have now picked up three wins in their last four games - most recently coming from behind to defeat Hearts 2-1.

This weekend's match marks their third consecutive away trip.

"Three away games in a week is not ideal," McInnes told Kilmarnock TV.

"The fixtures are a bit kinder to us as we go along through the season in terms of home games and the ratio.

"But nonetheless we'll go up there and try and have a wrestle with Dundee and try and be good enough to win the game. We've had a lot of tight, exciting matches with Dundee.

"We want to try and go on another winning run but to do that we'll have to do a lot of things really well. The players will take confidence from Wednesday night.

"Our second-half performance on Wednesday was good enough to get the win but we need to try and learn to try and play for closer to 90 minutes because on another day we might not get the chance to recover from going 1-0 down.

"It's important that we carry a wee bit more bullishness and certainty from the start of the game."

Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes is the bookmakers' favourite to become Rangers manager should Philippe Clement lose his job, with former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez and Malmo's Henrik Rydstrom next in the betting. (The Scotsman), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Matty Kennedy provides a brilliant finish to bring Hearts level in their 2-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle.

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We asked for your views on Kilmarnock's 2-1 comeback win against Hearts at Tynecastle.

Here's what some of you said:

Gregor: Killie started poorly and were lucky to be heading into half-time level before a shocking throw-in decision gave Hearts the chance to go 1-0 up. Came out well in the second half and Kyle Vassell fought well for everything to give us what we needed to get the two goals. The last 10 minutes were nervy but in the end Hearts never really threatened.

Anna: A vastly improved performance all round and for once no red cards. Okay, so Hearts scored on half-time but the way the boys responded in the second half was brilliant, two goals in five minutes and they could have had more. This makes up for the Ross County defeat. The league table makes for good reading, the win lifted us up four places to sixth.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Kyle Vassell admitted the pressure of not scoring in the league had been "mounting" on him until he scored the winner against Hearts on Wednesday night.

The Kilmarnock captain's only previous goal this season came against Tromso on 8 August in Conference League qualifying before he ended an 11-game barren run at Tyncastle.

"I'm delighted to get off the mark," Vassell said. "It’s been mounting on me as I've not been good enough in front of goal.

"It was a great win for the boys. We dug in during the second half and really got after them and it paid off for us."

Derek McInnes' side were trailing 1-0 at the break but managed to turn the scoreline on its head with goals from Vassell and Matty Kennedy.

"We were winning the ball higher up the pitch in the second half," striker Vassell added. "Even 1-0 down at half-time we knew this was still ours. We back ourselves everywhere we go.

"They're a great team but when we got after them we knew we could make it a bit ugly for them and we got the result."

The result moved Kilmarnock up to sixth in the Premiership table, having won three of the last four. However, the victory at the start of that run - against Dundee on 5 October - was their first of the season.

"It’s been stop-start, it's been frustrating," Vassell said of the season so far. "We've played well in every single game but maybe once or twice we've put a 90-minute performance together.

"That's what we need to do more of. We know that and when we do that we can truly be a test for anyone in this league, especially at home."

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• Kilmarnock have won nine points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.

• Hearts attempted 18 shots in this match, higher than their season average of 12.6 in the Premiership.

• Kyle Vassell scored his first goal of the Premiership season, netting for the first time since 11 May 2024 against St Mirren.

• Hearts have conceded three goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half this season, only St Johnstone (four) have conceded more in the Premiership.

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Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland: "The opening part of the game, we were a bit too passive. I want us to be more us, and we wasted the first 25 minutes. We were guilty of giving away too many set plays.

"Hearts scored when we were having our best period and I thought we'd sorted ourselves out. We had two or three good opportunities first half, so we had to do it the hard way.

"There were a few words at half-time, a reminder of what we need to be. It was a very good second half. As much as Hearts were better first half, we were better second.

"It's a good time to get Hearts, with the physical exertions. They've got a top squad here but there's no doubt about it - third game in six or seven days has an impact and we mentioned that.

"We showed what we were all about second half. I felt there was a goal in us and if we got one, the game is there to be won. We got the points backed that we shipped away on Saturday."

Kilmarnock came from behind at Tynecastle to earn a Scottish Premiership win and hand new head coach Neil Critchley his first defeat as Hearts head coach.

The hosts dominated the ball and looked well worth their lead when Alan Forrest struck near the end of the first-half.

But in a five minute spell, Kilmarnock made the most of poor Hearts' defending to hit twice - first through Matty Kennedy and then through Kyle Vassell.

What did you make of that, Kilmarnock fans? Was that a deserved victory? What went right at Tynecastle?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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When Kilmarnock can keep their discipline, they're a very difficult team to beat.

To say they had two chances and scored them both would be untrue, though. They threatened at time in the first half, and often absorbed Hearts' pressure while remaining unscathed.

They managed the game better than their hosts, rode the wave of momentum they enjoyed briefly in the second half, and left with all three points - and also, notably, no red cards.

It's amazing what you can do with 11 men on the pitch.

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Kyle Vassell. The Killie striker has come in for some criticism as he endured a barren spell, but he set one up and scored another tonight.

Absolutely crucial to Kilmarnock when they play well. He was quiet in the loss to Ross County but back to his best tonight.